T-Mobile FRAUD

We came home from brunch with my parents, celebrating several Birthdays, to my cell phone suddenly not being able to place outgoing calls. I tried to troubleshoot but it appeared that the phone was Locked, attempting to Unlock it produced an error that I was not in a network. I tried to reboot the phone, unlock permanently and temporarily all with the same failed results.

Having tried everything that was at my disposal, I contacted the Customer service online to be told that my phone is locked until I pay it off. That didn't sound right but I asked a few more questions and the customer service rep offered to unlock my SIM card. The email confirmation was received but I also noticed a similar text from less than 2 hours earlier (12:30 pm while we were at Mill On the River in South Windsor CT for brunch). Something clicked for me to check my account activity and what do I see there? A new phone line added with a 203 area code which is on the shore of CT while I live closer to the MA border in 860 area code.

I did a little more digging and although the customer service rep online was unable/unwilling to provide details on where the new line was added a call to 611 from my phone did that specifically.
A woman with a CT drivers license with my name appeared at a Maplewood NJ T-Mobile store and not only opened a new line but bought 2 new iPhone 8 with a 24 month payoff and had my SIM card reprogrammed for one of the new phones.

Here is a copy of the contract and check out the signature....

Another part of the documentation has the name of the store and the person who processed this account change. You know it was a no brainer, I called the store immediately and spoke with what happened to be the store manager. I asked what form of ID was provided, that's when I was told it was a CT DL and the woman impersonating me is African American in her 50s. That is not who I am and I did fund it rather funny that I'm so distinctly different looking. A copy of the license is on had at the store and will be provided to their Fraud Department.

My initial concern was not being able to make a call, now I find out that someone has my name on a drivers license with their photo. I'll be contacting the CT Motor Vehicle Department to see if the license was issued by them (the T-Mobile manager said it passed his fraud test). I will also be locking up my credit with all the credit bureaus since it appears the fraud might be more widespread than just the cell phone account issue.

Interestingly, I did check both my and my husband's information after the Equifax data breach was announced and both of us were supposedly in the clear. Maybe not!

Stay tuned for updates on this, keep an eye on your accounts and if your phone suddenly doesn't work it might be more nefarious than a simple reboot.

The Unknown

It's 10:30 pm on a Labor Day, 2017 and I am getting anxious for tomorrow morning's appointment with the Gynecologic Oncologist. Not something I ever anticipated having to do, but who does right? Life throws all sorts of obstacles in our way just to see how we tackle them. Well this one is still a bit surreal for me.

I have my outfit, I have my list of questions and I have my husband Paulie joining me (unavoidably the appointment fell on his birthday but he's a trooper but I did bake him a red velvet bunt cake today). Friends and family have wished me well, sent healing thoughts and told me that I've got this. Do I?

I asked my OBGYN who took out my offending uterus that turned out to be have cancer in it, what do I call this diagnosis? She reassured me that I am in good hands and that since the organ has already been removed and the pathology results forwarded to the specialist, he would be the best one to tell me the next steps.

Initially I didn't even know how to address the situation, do I have cancer or is it just some cancer cells or did I have cancer. I was confused even by which tense to use when talking about it. So complicated how to accurately convey the news. I was up front with my family and friends, even online community that I have been a part of since the late 1990s have been given the 'news'.

I have always approached life with reverence and a hearty dose of humor and no doubt will tackle this situation in a similar manner but I have to be honest, I don't know what tomorrow will bring and that has me perplexed.

My Facebook feed displayed a reminder that my 30th High School reunion is next month, the day before my 49th birthday, and I don't know if I can or want to go but it put some things into perspective. I don't feel 48 11/12 and somehow the last three decades of travel, laughter, love and life scrolled by without much fanfare.

I wish I had my bestie by my side tomorrow in tandem with hubby. He was always there for me but his sudden exit in 2009 left my heart pot marked where all the fun and goofy antics we had together resided. Now all my reminiscing is one sided like the time we were at a London Youth Hostel and there was a group of seven German teens we renamed the Guntar and the Magnificent Seven. Or the time we spent 15 hours on a bus from Galway Ireland to London including a ferry ride that had him holed up under a table due to his fear of water. When a person leaves this world, they take so much with them, I want just a few more minutes to tell him how much we loved him but alas, it was not to be.

Much of this was brought on by google searches of treatment options so I decided that until I know what I am dealing with there is no sense in scaring the crap out of myself. Life is short and long all at the same time. We don't relish in the time we spend doing the mundane like laundry or grocery shopping but we do hold on to the little nuggets of perfection that arise out of the depth of the minutia that is life. The all nighter with your love just to see the sunrise, the smell of ocean on a foreign land, the perfect morsel of food in a tiny cafe half way around the world. Priceless memories that can make you smile days, months, years and even decades later.

So here I am, hours away from learning another truth that will send me in a different direction. I feel like the last three weeks have been in a strange pause mode. Today is also a month since my hysterectomy but until I typed these words, I had forgotten that I even had surgery. My procedure was done robotically and I was in and out of the hospital in under 10 hours which even according to my doctor who performed the operation is practically unheard of. A part of me must have seen this as a dare, how quickly can you be discharged and I am typically up for a challenge. Maybe I can channel my competitiveness into the next chapter of my life. Time will tell.

Vegan Bean Sprouts & Kimchi Pancakes

I love scallion pancakes from takeout/takeaway but I never know if they add eggs or not so I figured I can reproduce the taste and texture at home. This it my interpretation of crispy edge bean sprout & kimchi pancakes loaded with Korean chives and lots of flavor. Keep in mind, the following recipe is fluid, adjustment to the flour/water ration is needed to account for humidity and elevation to where and when you are cooking.

First make a loose pancake batter - 2 cups flour, 1 cup water, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder. Mix till it's combined but don't overmix (that would produce dense cakes instead of fluffy and crispy). Add 1/4 cup shopped kimchi and 1/4 cup kimchi juice, 1 cup rinsed bean sprouts and 1/4 cup chopped Korean chives (can be substituted with scallions or your onions), salt & black pepper to taste. If you are oil free, scoop 1/4 portions into a heated heavy bottom pan, lower heat and allow to cook through on each side, approximately 3-4 minutes per side depending on desired crispness. I used a coconut oil spray on a non stick pan to cook mine. Reserve done pancakes on a sheet pan and stash away in a low heat oven to keep warm till all are done. This batch makes 3 hearty portions or several appetizers depending on hunger level.

Serve with Ponzu dipping sauce with toasted sesame and chopped scallions, kimchi and pickled Korean rash for a refreshing combination. These are even great as leftovers, warmed up in the oven to crisp and heat up in case they don't disappear in one sitting.

NOT: If you make them thinned, they can be stuffed with sauted veggies and rolled up for a great lunch or dinner option. You can add lots of different veggies in place of what I used so let your imagination be your guide.

Enjoy!

Vegan Kimchi

Kimchi is a Korean staple of fermented and spicy cabbage that is as varied in recipe as potato salad in the US. Regional differences and individual taste preferences from special oyster variety to vegan which doesn't use any animal products. I happen to enjoy the vegan version the most, particularly more fermented kind. With a couple of grocery store versions available but at nearly $6 a 16 oz jar I decided to start making my own. The following recipe is a hybrid of several I've tried in the last year and inspired by Maangchi on YouTube.

Recipe:

• 4 lb of Napa Cabbage
• 1/2 cup course sea salt (I used Korean Sea Salt)
• 2 tablespoons Sweet Rice Flour (can be substituted with AP flour)
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 cup Tamari (vegan soy sauce)
• 6 garlic cloves
• 1/2 cup onion
• 1 inch piece of fresh ginger
• 1 1/2 cups julienned carrots
• 1 1/2 cups julienned Korean radish or daikon
• 1/2 cup garlic chives
• 1/2 cup scallions

Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff

First I have to say, this is a Chameleon type of dish in that it can be custom tailored to your particular tastes and dietary requirements. Vegan - check, just follow the recipe below, Vegetarian and eat dairy, swap soy with milk and nutritional yeast with cheese, Carnivore - add beef or chicken. I would recommend making it at least once as instructed and then experiment with swap outs (included in parenthesis below).

Recipe: Mushroom Stroganoff 

1 1/2 cups wide noodle (egg or eggless as your preference)

1 1/2 cups of water

1/2 cup plant milk (I use soy, swap with bovine milk if not vegan)

3 tablespoons Nutritional Yeast (1/4 cup sour cream or plain yogurt)

1 tablespoon mushroom powder

1/2 cup mushrooms (in the photo above I used leftovers of roasted porcini)

1 teaspoon crushed garlic

1/4 cup chopped parsley

Salt & Black pepper to taste

In a sauce pan combine all ingredients above (reserve a bit of parsley for plating), bring to a boil, lower heat to simmer and stir occasionally for 6-8 minutes. Turn off and let sit for 2-3 minutes to thicken the sauce. This recipe is a no drain easy lunch or side dish for dinner.

Mushroom powder is available online but can be rather costly, I make my own when I either get a good deal on fresh mushrooms and dehydrate them overnight and then process into powder or purchase dry mushrooms and create the powder from them. Ideally, the broken and less attractive mushrooms are perfect for this pantry item. 

I'd love to hear if you make this what you think, tag me on social media so I can see your tasty meal!

Wild Orchid Crafts Haul

Planner Meetup - Western MA

I spent a wonderful afternoon yesterday with new planner friends in Massachusetts where we shared our favorite planners and supplies. I brought along my adorable Supaclip (40, the smaller size) with a sneak peek at the Emoji refills (shown in the image below).

Those little froning faces are perfect to clip together your bills...that is the pile my husband is allergic to so he'll be forewarned not to touch it,

I promised to share links to some of the products we talked about so what you'll find below are direct Amazon PRIME links for Supaclip starter set, Refills, Adjustable Diary Punch and Desktop Pencil Sharpener, for all those Adult Coloring enthusiasts out there.

 

In case you are looking for a 6-hole punch for A5 size planner, I have a video on how to make that work with minimal effort (I did all the math for you, lol).

The following are some snapshots from the Planner Meetup

A very talented lady, @jesseniascreations made that black & white planner band that was in our swag bag, matching my Erin Condren Life Planner perfectly

Planner Pile Up - well represented by assorted companies - Erin Condren, Happy Planner, Webster's Pages, Michael's Planner, Filofax and several others that I can't recall.

The swag bag was brimming with stickers, clips, washi, planner band and even an adorable mini bottle of essential oil in lavender,

I am so happy to have been able to attend the event, meet so many like minded planner enthusiasts and look forward to the next one.

Where to find me online:

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/nhensel

Blog - http://cleversoiree.com/

Pinterest - http://pinterest.com/natashazhensel/boards/

Instagram - http://instagram.com/natashazhensel

Easy Homegrown Sprouts

These lovely, crispy and peppery sprouts are a favorite in this house on sandwiches and in salads. After a quick search they can be made at home in 3-5 days. I purchased all the supplies on Amazon (except Ball Mason jars that I already had on hand) and wanted to share the easy and cool process with you.

Lids: http://amzn.to/1PCd7o0
Sprouting Seeds: http://amzn.to/24uJzdw

Soak overnight in a wide mouth mason jar

Rinse and drain at least twice daily (morning and evening) or three times like I did to expedite the growth process

Love seeing something grow and so quickly. It certainly satisfies the nearly instant gratification.

These are wonderful, so refreshing with a little bite and will last for the week of salads and sandwiches. Make sure to store them after rinsing off the hulls and storing them in a air tight container. To get the most water removed, I used a salad spinner and lined the bottom of the container with paper towel to wick away any excess moisture. 

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/enuUiSuE-Ow

Veggie Curry for Meatless Monday

Another option for Meatless Monday - Veggie Curry, we are serving it with Black Bean Spaghetti but it's also delicious over rice

Ingredients

• 1 cup chopped onions
• 1 cup chopped yellow squash
• 1 cup chopped zucchini
• 1 1/2 cup cauliflour 
• 1/2 cup chopped carrots
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 2 teaspons Sambal
• 1 can diced tomatoes, use with juice
• 1 can coconut milk
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• 1 lemon

The video below shows the simple steps for this one pot meal.

VIDEO:

Multi-Seed Bread Maker Load Recipe

I have been in search of a loaf of bread I can make at home for hubby's sandwiches that's just a little better for you than but still tasted amazing. After some trial and errors, the following recipe has been celebrated by everyone in the house. As a bonus this recipe is vegan, no dairy or eggs. Flour, water, salt, yeast and SEEDS! Simple and delicious! 

Before I start, this is the bread maker I am currently using - Cuisinart CBK-100, available on Amazon Prime under $90. It's easy to use and has proven to be a workhorse with some weeks producing several loafs a week (both for us and to share with family).

                         

  Recipe - 2 lb Loaf Size

• 1 1/2 cup room temp water, not hot
• 1 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 4 cups of unbleached bread flour (King Arthur Flour is my fave)
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 2 tablespoons black sesame seeds
• 2 tablespoons flax seeds
• 2 tablespoons roasted golden flax seeds
• 2 tablespoons chia seeds
• 1/4 cup toasted unsalted sunflower seeds
• 2 teaspoons active dry yeast

Place all ingredients in order above into your bread maker mixing/backing bowl. If your bread maker has an 'add to' setting where you can drop in additional ingredients you can add all the seeds at that step. I've tried both and find it easier to add everything at once. Bake on White Bread setting typically between 3.5 to 4 hours for mix, knead, proof/rise and bake.  Our preference for crust (3 choices available on my bread maker) at Dark which makes the thickest crust available. My machine has an audio notice (6 beeps) when the mixing is done so the blade can be removed. I simply pull up the kneaded bread, pull off the blade and reshape the bread to replace into the bread maker. An end of bake signal prompts immediate removal of the bread pan, once able to be handled with protection, take the bread out and place on cooling rack. The longer you leave the bread in the pan, the less crispiness to the crust due to condensation.

I use organic seeds and store them in glass upcycled jars (from Marzetti salad dressing) in a handy basket that can be pulled out from the pantry with one grab. Simplifying tasks in the kitchen will lead to greater and easier use.

A closer look at all the seedy goodness inside the loaf, don't slice open till completely cooled to ensure even slices that don't rip or crumble. You can use a long serrated knife or an electric knife. To avoid a tirade of profanities when hubby makes his sandwiches, I slice a few at a time off the load for him and store the entire thing in a zip lock bag, pushing out as much air as possible. Since there are no preservatives in this bread, it's really only at it's optimum flavor and freshness for several days.

My favorite application for the bread is Avocado toast with cherry tomatoes, a must try if you have not already.

As mentioned earlier, the bread is preservatives free so after several days if there are any leftovers, I dice them up, pop them in a bag and freeze them. Great to pull out as needed to make croutons, savory bread pudding or homemade stuffing. No waste so every bit is utilized. 

Health Challenge, Yes in December

I was thinking that so many people start up New Year's resolutions in January that I would get a jump on it and start in December instead so that by January it will feel like a part of my routine rather than something new.

It all started with my new phone, Samsung Galaxy Note 5, which was a gift from Paulie and my in-laws. One day after poking around the available apps I noticed there was a health tracker called S Health (all Samsung smart phones have it pre-installed).

The first few days after this discovery were no different, I saw the number of steps I took but made no additional effort in upping my activity. Then I realized that the expecting a different outcome when I've done nothing differently would be insane. That day I publicly announced, via my YouTube daily vlog, that I was starting a Health Challenge - Walk 5 Miles a Day by the End of December! Let me tell you, no one was more shocked then me. But now that I've said it out loud I had to take steps, literally, to change my activity level and even more so, my mind set.

As a work from home full time employee by daily commute is mere moments and would not yield anything in way of exercise so I had to think bigger. I own a treadmill but like millions of others, it has only served as a room divider for a long time and a place for our big dog Chester to create a sleeping space behind. (sad but very true). I asked Paulie to give me the gift of a fully functioning treadmill as my present for the Holidays.... time went by and nothing was happening so I took things into my own hands.

Being blessed with extremely mild weather, I decided to use what I had at my disposal - my driveway and more specifically my Toyota Sienna as the base around which I would walk. It has since become known as Hensel Track. I started with a few laps at a time to see just how much I could do but quickly realized that my Birkenstocks were not going to cut it, sore spots and blisters at the end of my second toes were glaring signs that it's the wrong footwear.

A simple Amazon search later and 2 day shipping and I was a proud owner of my first pair of walking shoes (my high school pair of pink Reeboks were laughing at me when I attempted to put them on, they were 'retired' shortly there after).

Now with the correct shoes, a desire to change my activity level and the beautiful weather worked in my favor. Starting on December 3rd, I set my goal at 3,000 steps a day. Not going to kid you, initially I was not even sure how many steps an average person takes but sitting on my butt for 10+ hours a day in front of the computer for both work and fun was not adding any for me.

To keep myself honest and accountable I decided to share my progress on Social Media and in my vlogs on YouTube. On the first day I only reached a little over 1,000 steps but in a matter of a few days worked my way up to near goal of 3K. December 6th was 2,983 steps, that annoyed me more than anything so I promised myself to never let the day get away from me.Since the 7th, I've met or exceeded my daily step goal and starting on December 13th I upped my goal by a 1K each week. Finally on December 15th I started reaching my 60 minutes of activity a day goal. It's exciting to be able to accomplish my daily goals and I've noticed some interesting side effects - cleaning up after dinner sooner than later, doing laundry without getting grumpy, offering to let the dogs in/out without a stare down with hubby.

Since starting this Health Challenge, I've reorganized the walk in pantry, went to the store multiple times just to window shop and have had friends join me in making even small changes like adding more water intake or making better food choices. You just never know where inspiration comes from, mine was from a phone app and that's pretty incredible.

Here is last night's goal and targets:

How are you planning on being better to yourself?

Thanksgiving Food

Gorgeous spread at my sister's house who hosted Thanksgiving this year

Shrimp Appetizer with homemade cocktail sauce (our contribution)

Moist and delicious turkey, expertly carved 

The BEST green beans ever and no gloppy 'soup' out of a can in sight 

Roasted butternut squash 

Stuffing Muffins (our contribution) 

Mashed Potatoes

My Plate - a bit of everything 

Spectacular desserts - pumpkin muffins with no crust and Dutch Apple Pie with homemade salted caramel

What We Ate

Longan Fruit

The 'cousin' of Lychee, Longan fruit is milder, less messy with delicate white semi-translucent flesh and when you bite into it the nickname of 'Dragon Eye' is completely understood

Outer skins peal easily with nails or a small pairing knife, discarded in a pile like this they look like small egg shells

I might be officially in love with the cute pits, looking like jewels with a shiny skin and exotic tiny chestnut similarity.